Massage Stones - Hot Stone Massage Kits & Cold Stone Massage Supplies

Massage stones are used by therapists to apply pressure on certain points on the body during a massage session. They come in different sizes, depending on the part of the body they are to be used on, and different materials, based on whether they would be used hot or cold. Hot massage stones are usually black and made of basalt, a volcanic rock that retains heat well. Cold massage stones, on the other hand, are typically white and made of marble, as this material is naturally colder than others, even at room temperature.

Large cold massage stones can be placed on the body to raise energy levels, accelerate healing from sports injuries, or alleviate menstrual symptoms. Smaller cold stones are suitable for the face, where they can ease symptoms of allergies and sinusitis, reduce eye puffiness, soothe migraines, and diminish skin redness. The way cold stones work is they absorb heat from the body, causing blood vessels to contract, and pushing blood and lymph away from the point where they are applied.

Spas and salons use professional stone heaters for basalt massage stones and special bowl lamps for Himalayan salt stones. Basalt stone heater pans are typically made of stainless steel, come in 6- and 18-quart sizes, and operate within the ideal temperature range for stone massage, which is 125–150 °F. For optimal heating, put one complete layer of stones in the heater (two, at most) and fill it with cold water up to the MAX symbol. Water should never be lower than the MIN symbol and you should only put in dry, clean stones. Adjust the temperature according to the needs of your clientele, following the manual instructions that come with the heater. Always test the hot massage stones before placing them on the client's body or face. Himalayan salt stones can be warmed with any dry heat source — stone warmer lamps, heating pads, light bulbs, toaster ovens — or in the heated drawer of a spa cart. If you want to give Swedish or deep tissue massages with the help of a large, hot stone, the best choice would be a self-heating stone. It takes less than two minutes to warm up and generates heat only on the bottom half, keeping the top cool for the therapist's comfort.

You can either place massage stones on the client or you can use them with different massage modalities, such as Swedish, deep tissue, or trigger point massage. The most common massage stone placement is along the spine, but cold and hot stones can also be placed on the chest, stomach, face, palms, feet, or toes. To make sure you have all the stone types and sizes for the perfect massage, get a hot stone massage kit that also includes cold stones, chakra stones, and an educational DVD or manual.

Thanks to the muscle relaxation and lymphatic flow that hot stone massage promotes, the body is better equipped to release toxins. While hot stones help draw toxins to the skin's surface, the body can then eliminate them through its natural sweating process. To increase the stone massage efficiency for toxin removal, consider alternating hot and cold stones in the same therapy session.

Besides releasing toxins, hot stones also help relieve pain and muscle tension, boost immunity, improve restorative sleep, and reduce stress and anxiety. It is important to note that hot massage stones also alleviate the client's and therapist's discomfort, especially during deep tissue massage or myofascial release. By relaxing the client's muscles, hot stones not only increase their comfort but also reduce the stress and strain on the therapist's hands when doing deep work.